Weed-killing breast milk?

A study of US mothers’ milk has found levels of the weedkiller glyphosate at around 1,000 times higher than those permitted in drinking water in Europe.

The research, commissioned by Moms Across America (MAA) and Sustainable Pulse, tested samples of milk from 10 women and found three to have ‘high’ levels of the herbicide.

MAA director Zen Honeycutt said the study – which also analysed urine and drinking water samples – aimed to prompt peer-reviewed scientific research into the safety of glyphosate by independent scientists and regulatory bodies.

First brought to market by Monsanto in 1970 under the name Roundup, glyphosate has become the most used herbicide in the United States. Its use has been boosted since 2007 when Monsanto introduced genetically modified commercial crops able to withstand large doses of the weedkiller.

A recent study by the scientific journal Entropy linked Roundup to a range of health problems and diseases, including Parkinson’s, infertility and cancers.

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